with assault rifle and two handguns. covered in full body armor and wearing a gas mask he threw smoke canisters in the crowd before opening fire. >> someone is spraying gas. >> get us some gas masks for theater nine. we have can't get in it. >> reporter: at first, people in the theater thought it was part of the movie experience. >> there were explosions behind me. i thought it was just normal practical joke. you know? >> reporter: witnesses say holmes began firing, calmly stopping to reload. >> he shot the ceiling and then everybody knew it was real. it wasn't a joke. >> a little bit after we showed up to the lobby we heard a loud explosion. shortly after that, we heard gunshots open up. it sounded like a fully automattic weapon. >> pointed at my face with the gun. probably three feet away from me. >> [ inaudible ] up and down and the door. with a gun crossed on his chest. that is when i knew something was going on.

>> they were trying to get people through the lobby. so we ran down the stairs, out the theater. i walked out, i saw a girl with a bullet in her leg. >> reporter: the chaos ended minutes after it started. >> within roughly one minute to a minute-and-a-half, police officers were on scene. apprehended mr. holmes in the back of the theater. >> across town, one more threat. the shooter's apartment boobwash trapped full of trip wire and bottle of unknown substance. >> we could be here for hours or days to figure out how to get in there. we're concerned about getting in there to get whatever evidence there is. the pictures are disturbing. it looks sophisticated in terms of how it's booby trapped. >> in southern california, the shooter's family offer remorse. >> they are cooperating with law enforcement and they ask for your patience, indulgence and respect at this time. >> reporter: bret, at the suspect's apartment, three

miles from here, we are told authorities may go in less than two hours to put their own device in there and set off whatever is inside. once again, they have a number of bottles inside, filled with liquid intertwined with wire. what appears to be boobytraped. they look through windows. robot and bomb sniffing dogs. they want to try to start to finish that situation. that may mean putting their own incendiary device in there and start setting off what is inside. again, they don't know if there are bombs but they look like it at this hour. >> bret: adam, reports early on that the suspect james eagan holmes was cooperating with officials. is that changing? what can you tell us about that? >> reporter: right. yeah, it is changing. he was talking to them. they won't tell us how open he was. we know when they confronted him outside the back of the theater. there was no confrontation whatsoever. he did tell them about his apartment and what was inside. we know that he spoke to them.

he said other things they wouldn't share with us. but now he has a lawyer and told us he is not speaking at all. we do know also, bret, this late hour, they are looking at two different buildings at the medical center, the colorado medical center, the university of colorado medical center in aurora not far away. those buildings have been evacuated as well, as a precaution. bomb-sniffing dogs to ensure where he worked. he didn't leave anything. >> bret: adam housley live outside the theater in aurora. thank you. the carnage in colorado forced the president and governor romney to tear up their campaign plans today. and start over. white house correspondent wendell goler has that part of the story. >> reporter: president obama returned to washington after canceling a campaign appearance in winter park, florida, and telling a subdued crowd in fort myers there will be other days for politics. this is a day for prayer and reflection. >> while we will never know fully what cause somebody to take the life of another, we do know what makes life worth living.

the people we lost in aurora, loved and they were loved. >> in new hampshire, the romney for president signs were taken down and the former governor told a somber crowd he, too was putting politics on hold while the nation grieves. >> i stand before you today not as a man running for office but as a father and grandfather, a husband, and american. this is a time for each of to us look in our hearts. and remember how much we love one another. >> each of the candidates asked colorado television stations to temporarily suspend their attack ads. the first lady, ann romney and vice president biden took a break from the campaign trail. the president was awakened early this morning with a call about the shootings from f.b.i. director robert mueller. white house homeland security advisor john brennan, and the white house counsel. they told him it didn't appear the incident was connected to organized terrorism. mr. obama and vice president biden were briefed by the same

group after he got back to the white house, which is after he had spoken to the mayor of aurora and the governor of colorado to offer federal assistants. he ordered flags to be flown at half staff. in his comments, romney said evil is overcome by the goodness and compassion of a wounded community. >> there will be justice for those responsible. but that is another matter for another day. today is a moment to grieve and to remember. to reach out, and to help. >> mr. obama said one of his first reactions was that of any parent whose children often go to the movies. >> michelle and i will be fortunate enough to hug our girls a little tighter tonight. i'm sure you will do the same with your children. >> the president has no scheduled campaign events until monday in california. now word on how long he will stand down. it's thought that mitt romney will stay off the trail for the same amount of time. >> bret: wendell goler live on the north lawn. thank you. the midnight movie massacre joins a long list of mass public murder in the u.s. and

colorado specifically. what is going on? what does it say about us? national security correspondent jennifer griffin is looking into that tonight. >> reporter: the movie theater shooting in aurora was the worst to take place in colorado since the 1999 shooting rampage at a columbine high school, just 15 miles away. two teenagers killed 13 of their classmates before killing themselves. since then there have been more than 27 mass casualty shootings in the united states. defined by the f.b.i. as more than four people killed at one time. in the vast majority of these cases, the gunman had no link to international terror groups or al-qaeda. most shooters acted alone or with accomplice. in 2002, two shooters terrorized washington, d.c. they had no broader affiliation. virginia tech in 2007, the student who killed 32 people, most of them fellow students was lone wolf who then killed himself.

last year, in tucson, arizona, congressman gabrielle giffords was shot and six people killed by a lone gunman who was found to be schizophrenic. >> it isn't that this fellow was born evil on to the planet. there is a life story here. the roots of this event reach back deep in to this person's early chapters of his life story. >> and more and more people with prior psychological problems are becoming desensitized. >> reality tv, facebook, instant messaging, iphones, all of it can contribute a sense that people aren't real. >> the calls for more gun control have begun. mayor michael bloomberg of new york wants to hear from president obama and governor romney. >> no matter where you stand on the second amendment, no matter where you stand on guns, we have a right to hear from both of them concretely, not just in general. specifically, what are they going to do about guns? >> reporter: mr. obama called for a been a on gun show sales without background

checks but hasn't pushed for it. romney banned some assault weapon sales in massachusetts but eased other gun sales. the national rifle association issued a simple statement. "our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. we won't have anything further to say until more facts are known." there as was the usual rush to judgment that led to some misleading early reporting. abc got in to trouble friday when it incorrectly suggested there may have been a link between the alleged shooter in the colorado theater tragedy and the tea party. they later apologized online. while it sometimes seems as though the kind of mass shootings are on the rise, the f.b.i. says they are still rare with less than 1% of all homicides involving five or more victims. a rate that has not changed in the united states in decades according to the f.b.i. bret? >> bret: okay, jennifer. thank you. new security measures across the country in the wake of the colorado massacre a bit later. but first, the other news today, including massive

bloodshed in syria's brutal civil war. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ [ male announcer ] what's the point of an epa estimated 42 miles per gallon if the miles aren't interesting? the lexus ct hybrid. this is the pursuit of perfection. the global ready one ? yeah, but you won't need... ♪ hajimemashite. hajimemashite. hajimemashite. you guys like football ? thank you so much. i'm stoked. you stoked ? totally.

... and he says, "under the mattress." souse le matelas. ( laughter ) why's the new guy sending me emails from paris ? paris, france ? verizon's 4g lte devices are global-ready. plus, global data for just $25. only from verizon. here at the hutchison household. but one dark stormy evening... there were two things i could tell: she needed a good meal and a good family. so we gave her what our other cats love, purina cat chow complete. it's the best because it has something for all of our cats! and after a couple of weeks she was healthy, happy, and definitely part of the family. we're so lucky thalucy picked us. [ female announcer ] purina cat chow complete. always there for you.

>> bret: more on the shooting in colorado in just a minute. in international news, the massive debt crisis crippling the spanish economy has driven the euro to a two-year low against the dollar. civil servants threw madrid in chaos today, blocking the city's main avenue to protest a new cut in ages there. spain has around 3 million public workers. the body known a badly fractured syria is soaring. much of the capital city is a war zone tonight. while government troops drove rebels from one section of damascus, new battles cropped up in others. the situation was just as intense elsewhere. correspondent david lee miller shows us. >> on the streets, syria's largest city, chaos erupt, as protesters with gunfire. video on the internet that can't be independently

confirmed captures it. another appears to show rebel forces exchanging fire with the government troops. the latest is displayed after the bloodiest day yet. according to syrian activists, 310 people killed on thursday, including 217 civilians. the death toll resulting from wednesday's bomb tag killed the country's defense minister and the brother-in-law of president assad also increased. syria's intelligence chief wounded in the attack died from the injuries. at the united nations, the security council unanimously approved a resolution, giving a final 30-day extension to force of 300 unharmed observers. who were sent to the country to monitor a cease-fire that never took place. the force could replain longer, but the government stops using heavy weapons and overall violence is reduced. the u.s. ambassador to the united nations said washington would have preferred a resolution calling for economic sanctions. shethed other effort will

continue to support a democratic syria. >> the u.s. approach will increasingly be to focus our efforts not so much in this council that hit a substantive dead end but also to strengthen our intensify our work with other countries. >> reporter: as the conflict escalated, estimateed 30,000 syrians stream aid cross the boarder to lebanon in the last 48 hours. at a border crossing with turkey, rebel forces defated photos of president assad. the syrian leaders whereabouts are not known. the u.n. ambassador asked how far moscow, the ally would go to ensure safety. >> it's not our responsibility. to be sure, make it clear. >> despite disagreement over sanctions the pressure continues to build on the assad regime. today, the european union announced plans to implement an arms embargo. to inspect ships and aircraft within the e.u. that might

have suspicious cargo. heading to the embattled nation. bret? >> david lee miller live outside the u.n. thank you. the case against iran grows more damming with each passing day. the islamic republic continues to be the prime suspect in the slaying of israeli tourists in bulgaria two days ago. chief intelligence correspondent catherine herridge tells us what she has learned. >> as the victims of wednesday's bus bombing are buried in israel, dna and fingerprints from the crime scene are exploited to identify the bomber. the chairman of the house intelligence committee tells fox in an exclusive interview all signs point to iranian linked terrorists. >> we believe that it was hezbollah who was purposefully targeting likely to be inspired by some command from iran. all of those are problems. i believe the israelis when they say they will be retaliation for this attack. >> reporter: while security camera videos show the suspect wandering in and out of the

terminal wearing baseball cap and sporting long hair, prosecutor says it was a wig, part of a calculated disguise. owner of bulgarian rental car company is saying he tried to rent a car with a bogus license. at the time his hair was short and spoke english. >> i believe, mike ronallers believes there was a support system here, logistical support system here. >> security is intensified at the jewish landmarks, including sites at u.s. city. >> we are covering synagogues, houses of worship in response to the events that happened in bulgaria. >> according to the u.s. counterterrorism officials intelligence analysts are assessing whether the bombing first intended to use a car bomb for the strike but he failed to rent a car, he use a back pack bomb as plan "b." >> they look for luggage wrack, but something went

wrong killing it in the process. the bomb contained 6-1/2 pounds of explosives. bret? >> bret: thank you. unemployment is up in more than half the states in the country. the government says new jersey and alabama had the biggest leaps. .4 of a percentage point. in all, 27 states had unemployment increases. 11 states and the district of columbia reported a drop. the dow lost 121. the s&p 500 gave back 14. nasdaq closed 41 behind. treasury department says the process for setting a hugely important global interest rate is flawed and dangerous. it says banks capable of manipulating what is the libor affecting loan interest and putting stock market in peril. one major bank admitted falsifying information to keep that rate low. republicans rail about what they call the obama administration war on coal. now the environmental protection agency, the epa says it will review part of a controversial rule setting the first federal standards to

reduce toxic air pollution from power plants. regulation is intended to curb mercury and other pollutants from coil anpollutantsfrom coald facilities. still ahead, we go back live to aurora, colorado, and tuke a witness to the midnight massacre there. are you planning to go to the batman movie tonight? are you nervous about it at all? we look at security around the nation when we come back. [ male announcer ] this is our beach. ♪ this is our pool. ♪ our fireworks. ♪ and our slip and slide. you have your idea of summer fun, and we have ours. now during the summer event get an exceptionally engineered mercedes-benz for an exceptional price. but hurry, this offer ends july 31st.

syou know, i've helped a lot off people save a lot of money. but today...( sfx: loud noise of large metal object hitting the ground) things have been a little strange. (sfx: sound of piano smashing) roadrunner: meep meep. meep meep? (sfx: loud thud sound) what a strange place. geico®. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.

>> bret: many communities are providing increase security at showing at "the dark knight rises" to discourage copycat attacker.

peter doocy is outside the theater in the washington, d.c. suburb of german town, maryland. >> we will be playing close attention to theaters previewing the movie. >> "the dark knight rises" could break box office records this weekend but the law enforcement agencies in cities big and small want to make sure their citizens are safe at the cinema. in new york city, police today inspected movie goers bags and police commissioner ray kelly said he will send officers to theaters where the batman theater is playing in all five boroughs, "as a precaution against copycats and to raise comfort level among movie patrons in the wake of the tremendous shooting in colorado." in suburban washington, d.c., most theater security is done by private companies or off-duty police, authoritys say they will search theaters inside and out and they will inspect everything. >> with people of this age, if somebody brings in a satchel, they are looking for possibly alcohol, drugs, that kind of thing. they wouldn't really be

expecting tear gas, explosives or fire arms. this brings it to a whole nother level. >> national association of theater owners says guests safety is and will continue to be a priority for theater owners. members are working closely with local law enforcement agencies and reviewing security procedures. that is not good enough for some parents. >> i was supposed to go today with the movie with my friends and my freaked out and said you can't go anymore. said it happened in colorado. i'm in maryland. she was like i don't care, you can't go. >> others brushed off what happened in aurora, as an isolated incident and said they are comfortable with any potential risk. >> i thought about it driving up to the theater and realized i should have worn more athletic gear in case something happens inside the theater but i think it's safe. >> costumes and face masks are now banned at movie houses across the country, including more than 300 amc theaters. but security isn't being stepped up everywhere, like in columbia, south carolina,

where police say what happened in colorado, was an isolated incident. bret? >> bret: peter doocy live in german town, maryland. thank you. no grapevine tonight so we can continue our coverage of the colorado shootings. when we come back, what it was like when the colorado gunman started shooting. we will talk live with someone who was in the theater. male ann] when a major hospital wanted to provide better employee benefits while balancing the company's bottom line, their very first word was... [ to the tune of "lullaby and good night" ] ♪ af-lac ♪ aflac [ male announcer ] find out more at... [ duck ] aflac! [ male announcer ] ...forbusiness.com. [ yawning sound ]

[ male announcer ] ...forbusiness.com. ♪ atmix of energies.ve the world needs a broader that's why we're supplying natural gas to generate cleaner electricity... that has around 50% fewer co2 emissions than coal. and it's also why, with our partner in brazil, shell is producing ethanol - a biofuel made from renewable sugarcane. >>a minute, mom! let's broaden the world's energy mix. let's go. according to ford, the works fuel saver package could literally pay for itself. jim twitchel is this true? yes it's true. how is this possible? proper tire inflation, by using proper grades of oil, your car runs more efficiently, saves gas.

you could be doing this right now? yes i could, mike. i'm slowing you down? yes you are. my bad. the works fuel saver package. just $29.95 or less after rebate. only at your ford dealer. so, to sum up, you take care of that, you take care of these, you save a bunch of this. that works.

>> bret: authorities still

are not saying why a man dressed in black military style body armor opened fire in a packed theater, shortly after midnight in suburban denver. the 24-year-old former doctoral candidate in custody tonight. police say james holmes had a rifle and several other guns as well as gas canisters when he attacked the audience at a premier of "the dark knight rises," the latest batman movie. 71 people were shot. 12 died. ten at the scene. my colleague john scott is where it happened. another tragic day for colorado. outside that theater. hello, john. >> reporter: hi, bret. yeah, people here hoped this kind of thing would never happen again. 13 years after the columbine massacre. the horror has returned. it started 16 hours ago. it really continues now 16 hours later in that theater, where authorities are just beginning to remove the bodies of those killed. the theater was absolutely packed.

one of those who was inside, 20-year-old chris ramos who is joining me now. you had waited for months for the premier of "the dark knight rises." you are inside the theater with two friends. and your 17-year-old sister. the previews play, the trailers play. quarter after they start the movie. when did you notice something was wrong? >> my first initial thought when something went completely wrong is when the guy was sitting next to me randomly gets shot. it hear a lot of noise, it's a loud, fast noise. like a splashing noise. i see the guy right next to me. that's when i noticed he got shot. initially before all of that happened the first thing that happened was on the emergency exit on the right side, this guy comes in out of nowhere. we thought he was just like, like whatever, right? he was throwing stuff toward the crowd. in the shadows, since it's really dark it looked like he was throwing bat toys,

bat-shaped toys or whatever so we thought the workers were throwing stuff to promote the movie and get us pumped up. >> it was the gas canister, pepper spray or something like that. >> it was tear gas. as soon as it exploded it was getting on our eyes and making us cry and making our nose hurt. breathing and inhaling it. definitely making us cough. that was the first thing that the shooter did. now the shooter stayed on the right side of the theater. he never left, because hones honestly, the theater was packed. not a single seat was empty. he stayed by the exit because he could hit the people from the front right next to him. he could hit people, try to escape from the right and left side. he can hit people from the middle and from the very, very top. i was not toward the very, very middle but i wasn't to the lowest. he ended up manage to hit the guy hit like right next to me. even some people like two rows down from me. he was not aiming for a

specific person. he was just aiming for anyone, whoever he can get his hands on. as soon as the canisters were up and exploded, people started running. that is when the shooting started happening. >> you told me earlier it didn't happen in a climactic gun battle in the field. >> it did not. the part getting everyone confused our movie started at 12:05. that bullet scene, action, the fighting scene in the airplane, the shooting scene passed already. we were in a mellow scene. but the theater next door, theater eight was barely reaching that climactic scene. that's why people were getting confused from it. >> you jumped basically on top of your sister to protect her when the man next to you was shot. what happened then? >> as soon as the guy got shot i freaked out and i honestly don't know how i got down to the ground. but somehow i ended up managing to grab my cyster with me and i brought her -- sister with me and i brought her to the ground and told her to stay down.

i did not know what i was doing at all, no one ever teaches you how to survive those situations. there is no textbook or teachers. parents that tell you stuff about that. and honestly, my body was possessed. my body was moving on its own and my mouth was saying things on its own. i did not know what to do at all. i was on survival instinct mode trying to protect my sister. >> 12 people did not survive that shooting. chris told me he does not know what happened to the man in the seat next to him who was shot. but he does know that the man's daughters were having difficulty moving him out of the theater. and he was not responding. bret, that is the latest here from aurora, colorado. >> bret: thank you. thank you to chris as well. telling that story. we'll get reaction to the senseless carnage in colorado and talk about the implications of shootings like this with the fox all-stars when we return. [ kate ] most women may not be properly absorbing the calcium they take

because they don't take it with food. switch to citracal maximum plus d. it's the only calcium supplement that can be taken with or without food. that's why my doctor recommends citracal maximum. it's all about absorption. that's why my doctor recommends citracal maximum. thank you, nana send money to anyone's checking account with chase quickpay. all you need is an email address or mobile number. you're welcome. take a step forward and chase what matters.

[ engine revving ] ♪ hey, hey, hey ♪ [ tirescreech ] [ male announcer ] with fuel economy that's best in class and better acceleration than camry and accord, you'll wish you had the road to yourself. [ tires screech ] it's our most innovative altima ever. nissan. innovation that excites. ♪ [ man ] "the odyssey," by homer. book one. tell me, o muse... famous town of troy... book three. book 12. poseidon... book 17. book 20. thunderbolts. book 24. the end. [ ryan ] alright, what's next. [ man ] chapter one. call me ishmael. some years ago... [ male announcer ] at&t. the nation's largest 4g network. think possible. trick question.

i love everything about this country! including prilosec otc. you know one pill each morning treats your frequent heartburn so you can enjoy all thi great land of ours has to offer like demolition derbies. and drive thru weddis. so if u're one of those people who gets heartburn and then treats day after day, block the acid with prilosec otc nd don't get heartburn in the first place. [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn.

i started seeing people frantically running out. i started seeing people that were like shot and bleeding up over. i seen other people helping others and bringing out a couple little kids. >> my wife what been shot in the chest and my daughter had been shot. they didn't know what was going on with my daughter. >> within roughly one minute to a minute-and-a-half, police officers were on scene. mr. holmes was apprehended outside his white hyundai in the back of the theater. he was apprehended with three weapons in the car. one was left at the scene inside the theater. he surrendered without any significant incidence to officers. >> bret: 24-year-old james eagan holmes is in police custody. authorities say he shot 71 people, killing 12.

in colorado, in that theater. this comes obviously as the political campaign moved forward, but it stopped today. president obama and mitt romney taking time to note the tragic event in the nation. >> michelle and i will be fortunate to hug our girls tighter tonight. i'm sure you will do the same with your children. for those not so lucky we have to let them know we embrace them. >> i stand before you not as a man running for office but a father and grandfather, husband, american. this is a time for each of us to look in to our hearts. and remember how much we love one another. >> bret: let's bring in our panel. steve hayes, senior writerer for "weekly standard." juan williams columnist with the hill. syndicated columnist charles

krauthammer. since 1999, that is the columbine shooting in colorado there have been more than 27 mass murders. shootings killing more than four people. in colorado alone, there have been six, where three people or more have been killed. as you take a look at this scrolling down, what about this incident and what it says, doesn't say anything broader? >> i'm sure people like to draw application and look to society and all this stuff. remember when we had a shooting in tucson people began to level accusations that people in politics, tea party, we even had a false report this morning on abc of a connection to the tea party, which is not only scandalous, but stupid. why would you even look in that direction. but i think we are now to the extent it will be a political side to this, people will talk about the gun control. the one thing we never speak about is the way that we treat

mentally ill. and dangerous people. it seems to me that the numbe numbers you cited, a large number. more than two a year of these since columbine. i don't know if records were kept 50 years ago, but that sounds like a lot. over time, over the decades, gun control laws have gotten more tight. and more terrific. at the same time, how we treat the mentally ill has gotten far more lenient and loose. now for good reason. we don't want to commit people willy-nilly. we believe in civil libertys. but on the other hand, there always a risk. the threshold for committing people to a psychiatric facility. on the basis of dangerousness has risen over the decades. i would commit people myself in the '70s. when i was a psychiatrist at mass general hospital. but since then, the threshold, how difficult it is has risen

and you end up with people on the street 100 years ago, 50 years ago would now be in institutions i'm not leveling blame at anybody but saying as a society, we made a decision, take the risk of tragedy in order to ensure civil libertys. it's a difficult, difficult choice. >> bret: quickly, clinically in your old role, this guy, authorities say, is the guy behind the shooting, we don't know a lot about him. what we know so far. >> the guy in tucson was psychotic from the way he spoke. this guy seems more organized the way he did the shooting. it's all organized. thinking, premeditation, armor and the theater of it. i'm not sure he is a raving psychotic. but if there were no accomplices and i can't manual there is political or ideological one this is expression of something unusual. obviously there is a men the illness here and we'll determine what is it with

further examinations. >> bret: juan? >> first, i just think it's a moment to step away from the political fray that we are all daily engaged in. because i mean imagine that you are sending your child off to summer folly. okay, you get to stay up late tonight junior. go to the new batman movie. dress up in your costume and your child is dead. there is no way, i don't care who you are or where you are on the political spectrum no, way to say i'm sorry for that. but it turns out the largeer conversation and to bring, to go back to charles' point, there is more than just crazy people or people psychotic. who are going around shooting people these days. mayor bloomberg of new york today talked about -- >> bret: let's play the sound bite. it caused a lot of stir. we can get your reaction after. >> soothing words are nice, but maybe it's time that the two people that want to be president of the united states stand up and tell us what they are going to do about it. this is obviously a problem

across the country. >> so many murders with guns every day. it's just got to stop. >> bret: you said let's hold off on the politics. didn't hold off long on issue of guns. >> no. he spoke, you know, too quickly to speak out. that was this morning when everything was fresh. it's still fresh in my mind. but the idea is coming. there is no holding back on this conversation about gun control. you see it particularly in the minority community in big cities. it's like a slaughter out there. >> bret: chicago and others. >> chicago, philadelphia, front page. the rate of black on black murder in the country is obscenity. mostly poor people to be clear. it's often related to drugs. but sometimes just a grudge. but they are guns. they're illegal guns. now the brady campaign today said more americans killed by gun violence in the last year than all americans killed in afghanistan and iraq. that gives you an idea of the

slaught they're islaughter that. >> bret: this is setting up to be what everyone is talking about. >> to a certain extent, it's sad. there is this attempt or there is this eagerness to make things that are not political in to the political. and to do it right away. i mean, mayor bloomberg saying that within hours of the shooting. and to a certain extent you almost feel sorry for people who can't see the world beyond their little political prism. sometimes a senseless tragedy is just a senseless tragedy. for people who talk for a living or people who run for office and they feel an obligation to say something, to try to explain the inexplicable when there is no ready explanation. or when there may be an explanation but it's not yet accessible or available to people. but i think, yeah, i think he was sort of an early indicator. this is likely where this debate is going. and look, it's an appropriate

debate to have. this is what politics is about in america. i guess i just would hope it would haven't happened three hours after the shooting. >> bret: charles, i want to correct. you said i think jered weaver. it's jared loughner. getting ready for the angels. >> major apology on that one. to weaver and the weaver family. >> bret: i do want to put one thing in context before we introduce the friday lightning round. these are stats. the aurora shooting in context here. 1.28 billion movie tickets were sold in 2011. there weren't these problems. less than 1% of homicides involve five or more victims. the rate has remained below 1% for decades. that is in context if you are going to the movies tonight. next up, the friday lightning round. [ male announcer ] if you have to take care of legal matters.

legalzoom has an easy and affordable option. you get quality services on your terms, with total customer support, backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. so go to legalzoom.com today and see for yourself. what can i get you ? cheeseburger. you know what, got any salads ? b-ball, anyone ? and then take your leg wide out to the side. you can do it, dad thanks, girl i'm really proud of you, dad. make the most of your network with verizon. more 4g lte coverage than all other networks combined.

>> bret: we're going to keep the lightning round this week. every week, voters vote for your choice online, this week, charles' pick won overwhelmingly. charles? >> it is a two-part question. first, if the amount of coverage that the press will be giving to the blinders in the campaign is a ten, how much, what percentage of that will they will be devoting to a blunder of the year by obama in speaking about if you made a business you aren't the one to build it? the correct answer is two out of ten. they will ignore that resoundingly.

>> bret: put it back up. i think juan is confused here. >> i saw it. >> bret: all right. first of all, charles, some say it wasn't a gaffe. you said it wasn't a gaffe. more illuminating. >> gaffe in it revealed what he believes in, so it's a blunder of the campaign. it's gotten very little play in press and that's not accidental. >> i'm a fox fan and we have given at it lot of play. >> that's what makes fox unique. >> it's been all over fox. >> bret: the first part. >> the answer is two. i agree. it's two. not only because it hasn't gotten as much coverage as it deserves but the fact that everybody is treating the white house excuses exculpatory when the context is damaging. >> second part how long will

the main stream media keep hounding romney about ten years of tax returns? one month, one week, election day or end of time? i'm tempted to say "d" but i think the answer is "c." >> i think the answer is "c" but you could say "d" if you expect him to win. if he is president of the united states people will still ask where are your tax returns, buddy? >> until the end of time. >> at some point republicans will say c'mon. republicans are already saying let us see them. >> "c," until the election. why he is smarter to release more now. but there is a huge double standard from the aggressiveness on mitt romney's taxes and lack of interest on "fast and furious" documents. >> syria, what happens next? we watch the continued massacre in syria as bashar assad pushes back and tries to hold on to power.

steve? >> we have heard he is likely escalate. this will end, close to the end of the assad regime. likely to see him go out in fit of violence. >> i think he is over. it's matter of days. i think the consequencial act here is whether or not the rebel forces are able to sweep him out quickly or he can hang in there. i don't anticipate he has much left with his forces. can he get to another country or pop up somewhere else? >> the problem with a quick ending here is entire allowite community, sectarian, 10% of syria, which ruled ruthlessly over 90% for half a century is understand if it loses it's wiped out. it's got nowhere to go. i think it will go on longer

because they have nowhere to go and this is a desperate fight. for them, to the finish. either they stay in power or they are massacred. >> bret: finally, iran and what israel will do about the latest attack they blame on iran. listen to the house intelligence committee chairman on what he thinks. >> i believe the israelis when they say there will be retaliation for this attack. i don't think we should do anything but take them at their word. you worry that iran is starting to escalate the type of activities. >> bret: charles? >> i think israel will do what it does in the circumstances. track down people involved. hezbollah, iranians, and they will kill them. around the world. but not a major attack on iranism can't imagine they will do that. >> juan? >> i don't think so. if there is a pattern here, there is a pattern. it's clearly state sponsored in my opinion. that is an opinion. >> steve? >> israel will respond and they should respond. this is one of the problems with decoupling the nuclear talk from broader regime and

the sponsorship of terrorism over the years. >> the question is does the response trigger something else? >> yes. i think we are likely in a pattern, where there will be back and forth. israelis will target the nuclear scientists until something bigger happens. >> in coming weeks? >> it will happen clandestinely. >> bret: that it for the panel. stay tuned for final thoughts on this tragic day. this man is about to be the millionth customer. would you mind if i go ahead of you? instead we had someone go ahead of him and wifty thousand dollars. congratulations you are our one millionth customer. people don't li to miss out on money that should have been theirs. that's why at ally we have the raise your rate 2-year cd. you can get a one-time rate increase

if our two-year rate goes up. if your bank mes you miss out, you need an ally. ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense.

you know how hard if yit can be to breathedo, and what that feels like. copd iludes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. spiva helps corol my copd symptoms by keeping my airways open a full 24 hours. plus, it reduces copd flare-ups. spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled copd maintenance treatment that does both.

and it's steroid-free spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. tell yr doctor if you have kidy problems, glaucoma, trouble urinating, or an enlarged prostate. these may worsen with spiriva. discuss all medicines you ta, even eye drops. stop taking spiriva and seek immediate medical help if yr breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, vision changes or eye pain, or problems passing ure. other side effects include dry mouth and constipation. nothing can reverse copd. spiriva helps me breathe better. does breathing with copd weigh you down? ask your doctor if spiriva can help. finally tonight on days like this it is sometimes very hard to get your head around a tragedy like this, how could it happen? why? how could someone be to deranged to take innocent lives of dads, moms, brothers, sisters, next door neighbors, are the guy down the street, people just trying to see a new

movie. president obama expressed condolences talking about about about hugging sasha and mallia tighter tonight. governor romney shared the condolences talking as he said as a dad and a grandfather. after tragic events it takes time to absorb the pain, pain that will never subside for some families in aurora. we leave you tonight with some of the images of this tragic scene. thanks for inviting us into your home tonight, a tough night for are aurora, colorado, and for the nation. that is it for special report. fair, balanced and still captioned by closed captioning services, inc. talk my wife had been shot in the chest and my daughter had been shot. i lost the rest of my family.

>> people were screaming and running out. everybody is like trying to find some where to hide. >> shepard: this is "the fox report." tonight a ticking time bomb. at the accused movie shooter's booby trapped apartment. plus, the suspect's motive. what set this guy off? the honor stew you den studente say called himself the joker. >> we heard a loud explosion and shortly after that we heard gunshots open up. >> somebody is shooting in the auditorium. >> i got shot. >> it was chaos. you saw injured people. there was this one guy on all fours crawling. >> there is people just running around. somebody is still shooting inside theater number nine.

>> i heard the sound of metal cansters clinking around and then saw plumes of smoke. >> we can't get in it. >> suspect in a gas mask. >> shepard: tonight, what we are learning about the suspect. >> this is the act apparently of a very deranged mind. >> his apartment is apparently booby trapped. >> the holmes family is is very upset about all of this. it is a tragic event. >> shepard: the survivors. >> horrific injury. i mean i don't know how else to explain it. it is horrific. >> shepard: and the victims including a young woman who cheated death just a few weeks ago. first from fox this third friday night, the suspect bought a movie ticket. he dressed in a gas mask goggles, body armor, technical gloves and covers for his neck and groin.